"We will soon another warship KRI Hasanuddin (HSN)-366 to replace KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda (SIM)-367."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Defense Forces (TNI) will soon send another Indonesian warship for the world peacekeeping mission under the auspices of the United Nations to Lebanon.
"We will soon another warship KRI Hasanuddin (HSN)-366 to replace KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda (SIM)-367 which planned to return to Indonesia, for a six-month mission in Lebanon," Indonesian Military Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono said after welcoming the Maritime Task Force (MTF) of the Indonesian contingent Garuda XXVIII-C/UNIFIL from Lebanon at Tanjung Priok port, North Jakarta, Monday.
The Maritime Task Force Garuda Contingent will have 100 naval servicemen consisting of 33 officers, 48 non-commissioned officers and 19 enlisted personnel. This would be the third task force sent to Lebanon following KRI Frans Kaisepo-368 and KRI Diponegoro-365 grouped in the Maritime Task Force.
KRI SIM-367 after completing its task for six months in Lebanon will be replaced by KRI Hasanuddin (HSN)-363 which was scheduled to leave in May 2012.
He said KRI Hasanuddin-366 also has 100 servicemen as it has the same weight as KRI SIM-367.
The TNI chief hoped each ship on a peacekeeping mission has always been given a satisfactory value and the next group of servicemen is expected to be given a perfect value.
"The dispatch of servicemen in the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon will become good quality servicemen based on UN standards. They will also gain wide experiences to be given to other servicemen," he said.
The Military Chief said the dispatch of Indonesian troops on the peacekeeping mission is an international recognition of the Indonesian people, especially the military, in giving a concrete contribution to world peace based on the UN charter.
The trust and confidence which had long been given by the international world, he added, is an honor and pride for every Indonesian as it means that the Indonesian people has become an important part of the world community in the role of creating a just and civilized international community.
"It is only reasonable for us to maintain and increase the confidence through dedication, loyalty and hard work which have already been displayed when on duty," Agus said.
Indonesia is the first and only Asian country taking part by sending warships in the world peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. KRI SIM-367 is one of the latest Indonesian Ship Integrated Geometrical Modularity Approuch (SIGMA) corvettes built at Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, Vlissingen, in the Netherlands.
The Indonesian servicemen in the UN peacekeeping mission throughout the world totaled 1,828 in conflicting areas in Lebanon, Congo, Haiti, Liberia, South Sudan, Darfur (Sudan), and Syria. It was hoped that in 2014, Indonesia would send 4,000 peacekeepers in UN missions throughout the world.
(Uu.H-NG/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
